Letter to Prospective Students

I’ve wanted to give this letter for all of the future study abroad students a lot of thought – as well as digest what was of critical importance to relay to you.

For starters, I want to encourage students who have an interest in studying abroad to do so while they are attending college (MIAD) now. Opportunities like these are always valuable – I do find, however, to stress the importance of time. It proved to me to be a lot more efficient to travel while I was still housed in Milwaukee permanently. There was no worry of where my belongings would go, or about a permanent job that I would have to request off of for an extended period of time.

College most often allows for flexibility in scheduling, and this is prime/key for travel. Please, do take that into consideration. I find that I would enjoy traveling in the future, but with many plans to intern next summer and potentially moving after graduation along with rent…a prolonged period of time abroad doesn’t seem feasible, but a class like this was.

I’m glad to have chosen this course.

For starters, to be able to apply my new understandings, observations and all around experiences from traveling to my future course work and studio work is refreshing and exhilarating.  

The travel to Paris (and a short time in London) has been a vitally new source of inspiration. Yes, of course, you can read about Paris in literature, and see the photographs of the architecture and art, however there is nothing that that will compare to being in direct relationship/existance with that singular or multiple work(s).

In a cultural context, understanding the history of the piece(s) and being able to see the detailing of paintings, each brush stroke in its presence….that is indescribable to me. There is something so emotinonally inducing about being in the same space as the work of art or architecture itself. To understand the piece(s) in their original context, or even being occupied within the same space they house is impeccably different than reading it on a two-dimensional format with text that articulates the object of thought -  surrounding it.

I would like you take a moment and think, “How am I willing to expand my thought upon my current and future work “ as well as  “How do I want to progress as an artist/designer in the present moment”– answer those two questions honestly to yourself, generate ideas and further self exploration in thought and then please proceed to read on.

I have broken up this post into three parts… the introduction, a more serious outlining of the course, and the last, an elaboration upon Paris itself and how I identified with being there.

When it comes to traveling abroad you may foster many expectations along with a bit of anxiety, … and that is okay, but I would highly advise you to suppress any of your pre-existing expectations or notions of the culture or city. I advised that you not allow them to linger with you when you depart from the states.

Instead I challenge you to allow the experience to invite you in and adopt into it fully and truthfully to yourself.

Enchantment by London

London England, how enchanting one may find a city to be. The arrival to this city was indeed magnificent. A ride upon the Eurostar provided ample transportation in a matter of hours with scenery so breathtaking. The immense speed that this train was going forth with…it created an environment quite unique. The clouds enchanted me. Never have I seen clouds quite like this before.

It was as if they were frozen in time, slowly being broken apart. I believe the rapidity of the train constructed this. Never before have I traveled at such an accelerated speed on land, ...where clouds – so close to the ground, I was able to see the whole that comprised of the form, in a seemingly static quality only because of the dynamic pace I was traveling at. I was instantly in awe, inspired - gazing out the window for most of the duration of the journey to London.

Upon arrival to London, the ecstatic quality of the city soon rubbed shoulders with me. There was already a significant culture difference in comparison to what I have perceived in Paris. I was giddy by the fact there would be far less confusion in communication; seeing as there was no prominent language barrier here.

The first day was slowly paced; settling in was much needed. However, the days to follow were leisurely lived, yet noticeably productive. These days were conducive to grand memories and experiences.

Second day in – A Tuesday, the itinerary for the day would be as followed: A visit to the Tate Modern, crossing the Millennium Bridge, a leisurely stroll around the city, visiting Buckingham Palace, and ending the evening with a proper dinner: Fish and Chips.

Third Day: A Visit to Abbey Road and Abbey Road Studios, a stroll through Green Park – this park not only grand in size, the atmosphere of the surrounding area was relaxed, exactly what I needed. A few galleries including Whitechapel Gallery and White Cube were visited, shopping at Fortnumand Mason – for gifts and tea, and sight seeing in Parliament Square...and a show - Singing in the Rain.

Fourth Day: Self-exploration of the city, a visit to the Design Museum for the Designs of the Year 2013 exhibition, a walk to The Gherkin, strolling across the Tower Bridge, and ending the evening once again with Fish and Chips and a lovely view of the city.

My time in London was well spent, and was as well conducive to a magnificent learning experience, and a marvelous gain in cultural awareness. I conceive an abundant fondness of London, and would enjoy visiting again someday…someday soon.

Another Day of Self Exploration

Performer at the Bibliothèque Nationale de France

Being in Paris has been quite the memorable experience. Having this class out of the country is leaving me with a broader perspective in life. I need time to gather all of the thoughts circulating in my head, and let experiences simmer for a bit to digest it all efficiently. Departing for London, England tomorrow –  I am highly anticipating the trip over there for a few days. While in London, I will be keeping in touch over this blog at least once and posting a few photos and a personal journal entry.

Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy

Inspiration is highly abundant for my studio project right now and I am elated to start conjuring up more of the process to it.

While on my self exploration of the city by the Bibliothèque Nationale de France– and the Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy. - these are the two photos that I wanted to share. 

Hope you all enjoy the photos in my next blog post.

- Sincerely, Lauren W.

Ron Mueck: Foundation Cartier

Foundation Cartier: Ron Mueck

Upon entering the Foundation Cartier pour l’art contemporain. The exterior façade seems to blend with the surrounding area with the front exterior wall, skimming the sidewalk, graced with a garden space before the actual set back of the entry of the building. The entirety of the façade is glass in material and metal partition walls. However, this building does standout for good reasons in its environment.

The building as a whole is rationally planned out, as well as the curation of the work being housed here on exhibition from April 16^th until the 29^th of September. This day encompassed a logical, and critical analysis – on multiple scales, of the works of Ron Mueck.

Ron Mueck - Foundation Cartier

We were asked to critically analyze two specific works along with the overall theme of the exquisitely curated exhibition. The pieces the group I was in focused on “Woman with Sticks” – (you can see the photo of the piece on brochure posted below) and “Young Couple”. I will specifically talk about “Woman with Sticks” here.

Woman with sticks - Exhibition handout

I focused on the smaller scales - scale of the body (the fifth of the six scales) and the details of the piece (the last scale of six). It was important to note that the lady in “Woman with Sticks” depicted in the round was bearing more weight in sticks of our human scale than it seemed humanly possible to carry. The weight bearing was shown in the folds of her skin near her ankles, that seemed stressed, and nearly crippling. The scars and coloration of the wounds on her body (scratches from the sticks) – were present on her stomach and arms. The deep grooves in her back suggested the motion she was bending in due to the weight, however her face did not seem in distress like the rest of her body.

Sketches of the parti of Foundation Cartier

Her gaze to us was at eye level to the human scale. Her gaze depicted she felt her duty was effortless and seemed quirky to me. At a certain angle you approach her, she will stare you directly in the eyes. The bilateral stance suggests a potential kinetic motion forward, linear through the path of the room, as if she was walking from the outdoors, through to the next room. What had me questioning the reality of this situation she was placed in – the dialogue in my head led me in to thought about the fact she is not dirty at all, her toes are neatly polished, there is no dirt on her feet, her pony tail is fairly intact, and even her legs are smooth in appearance.

We found that she appeared to represent a mythological situational circumstance. There was nothing connecting to me how she could be in the nude, bearing more weight than possible, with multiple scars, seemingly coming from an outdoor setting, no dirt to be found upon her skin, yet seemingly not frustrated with her overbearing task.

Overall, The conclusion we came to about the theme of the exhibition in an entirety would be that of vulnerability in loss and intimacy and  - As well as discovery of the self, and a self executed awareness of the other in a societal commentary. 

Inspiration, Self-exploration

Dynamo was a visually, physically and mentally engaging exhibition. 

Link to - L’exposition Dynamo

L’exposition Dynamo - "AROUND THE NOTIONS OF VISION AND SPACE, LIGHT AND MOVEMENT IN ART, DISCOVER DYNAMO WITH SERGE LEMOINE, GENERAL CURATOR"

After lunch at the Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Beux-Arts (ENSBA...(May 27, 2013) I had no definitive for the traverse of my day from thereon.

The executive decision was made to take the train towards the Champs-Élysées and walk around from there. My eyes, fixated on a poster...DYNAMO was spelt out in a type that objectively appeared to be fashioned of neon lights themselves. 

"Do you like contemporary art?" muttered a close by lady 

to her friend. It then struck me...

"The notions of vision and space, light and movement in art" (on the brochure)...this is an exhibit I've been dying to attain in the duration of my visit in Paris. Eagerly,..I ascended the stairs, purchased a ticket. At the time of entry to the exhibit - Dynamo featured at the Grand Palais, my body froze. Delight overcame my entire body. I was awestruck. The entire exhibition was highly inspirational and the connection I felt to many of these works was overwhelming. Quite frankly, I had a few teary-eyed moments. 

Two memorable moments in Dynamo had to be James Turrell, Cherry, 1998. and experiencing hands on...

Ann Veronica Janssens, Daylight blue, sky blue, medium blue, yellow, 2011 - Photographs of Dynamo and Daylight blue, sky blue, medium blue, yellow, 2011

A day at Le Centre Pompidou

Le Centre Pompidou

(View from the top of Le Centre Pompidou)

Picasso was our point of interest in our main course discussion (May 26, 2013). After studying and critically analyzing a few of his works, our class was then asked to walk the halls of the Pompidou and seek out a work dating before the 1960’s.

She was enticing, yet eerily grotesque in appearance. I passed her by thinking there was another work I would have greater interest in. However, after circling the halls, there was a notion sitting in the back of my head telling me that I HAD to go back and look at her again. She deserved a second glance. Her name, Sylvia von Harden. As a journalist and poet in Germany, she wrote for many newspapers.

A German painter by the name of Otto Dix is responsible for the two works I studied at the Pompidou today. The first being Portrait de la journaliste Sylvia von Harden, 1926 – (English - Portrait of the journalist Sylvia von Harden, 1926) and the other across from her on a diagonal in the same space was Souvenirs de la galerie des glaces a Bruxelles, 1920 - (English - Memories of the Hall of Mirrors in Brussels, 1920)                                                

 (Portrait of the journalist Sylvia von Harden, 1926)

The enticement of Sylvia started with her gaze along with my first impression of her appearance. Sylvia looked like a personality, yet she is depicted in such an unattractive light. Understanding the “New Objectivity” and that it encompassed the attitude of public life in Weimar Germany was important.  The "New Objectivity" was during a time where the artists rejected any romantic idealism, a time of violence, sex, prostitution and filth physically and mentally. Otto Dix is well-known for his crude and realistic depictions of the grotesque/brutal elements of the World War One.

                                              (Memories of the Hall of Mirrors in Brussels, 1920)

Memories of the Hall of Mirrors in Brussels, 1920 - Literally Reflected this unattractive mentality and agressive nature of the time. The officer depicted in red, could stand for him being of devilish nature. The woman is exposed in this hall of mirrors multiple times in unflattering poses and profiles. The essence of "flith" mentally is exuded in this work. The colors play off well with Portrait of the journalist Sylvia von Harden, 1926. The curation of the entire room, was well composed with an underlying theme of sexual exposure and crude depictions of the figure for the time. 

Dynamo and a Promenade

I'm not ready to leave this beautiful city, but I'm nearing my time to get back to my reality for now. I think the only thing I'm craving or should I say am missing at the moment is my bed. If anyone would care to transport that over here, I would be decent. 

My time here in Paris has been thoroughly enjoyed, though I am feeling a part of my heart will be left here. Coming back in the near future is something I will be making a point of. 

I experienced the exhibition Dynamo the other day at the Grand palais:

Dynamo - see the link here.

I will be posting some photos and more descriptions of Dynamo tomorrow morning. My experience there was highly inspirational, and many pieces beautiful.

Speaking of beauty, there is no other sunset I have been able to see as breathtaking as one in Paris. It's enlightening, and it is no wonder why people take the opportunity to go on a promenade so often. It's easy to find yourself mesmerized by the architecture and people inhabiting the street with you. 

Adventitious Woman

Day 6 – La Misére – Misery 1887

JULES DESBOIS (1851 -1935)

Her eyes engage you. You do not see the intensity of her stare quite at first, but you feel it. You make the conscious decision to glance underneath her face, so she is peering down upon your face. However, when you make that transition, and look back up at her, you nearly want to look away, but for a moment, and take a second to grasp her gaze of intensity.

Converging in the Hôtel Biron, where the rest of the sculptures and some paintings reside in…you ascend the staircase to your right, stroll through a short hall then to your left, placed between two objects of fenestration, on the main circulation path, she shares the left façade of the gallery space she rests in.

There is not a mirror behind La Misére, like I have seen other sculptures of her size have; but she sits upon a pedestal, in a glass case. With a height of about 37.5cm  she does not dominate the room in mass.

The two other sculptures she shares this interior left façade with are bronze busts, one with a joyful expression gazing towards the center of the room, the other more serious, but the same scale as the former. They are not large bronze busts. They actually face the broad bronze bust named “Portrait of Rodin with multiple profiles (1910)”; Whom gazes towards “La Misére’s direction.

La Misére is not polished, in contrast she appears to be distressed both physically and emotionally. The horrific look on her face she exudes portrays these feelings well. Hunched over, she seems to have just been in that stage of positioning her body for a moment as she sits there in thought. The folds on her skin show her age, and the patina helps describe the dialogue of distress.

I found after awhile of really paying attention to La Misére and studying her, that no one else really would give her any mind. This frustrated me seeing as though she was on a main circulation path in the room, and she is enticing. Maybe it was just my eyes that saw, and my brain that thought beauty came in this form of anguish.

Although she appears distraught and adventitious, her soul though longing, it had a lot to give, and possible lingering hope. 

For Reference - La Misére - Musée Rodin

Moved: Emotionally and Externally

Fatigue commenced. The first few nights remained fairly sleep-less, but I trekked on. Everything we were about to endure for the first few days I knew was going to take every single breath of mine away. My thoughts did not prove wrong about the days to come. The first place we encountered on our trip was the famous, Notre-Dame. 

To sit outside of the front exterior façade and examine the architecture and ornamentation – was seemingly not real to me. I believe the scale was just too large to grasp at the first glance of it - the structure is massive compared to any other structure I have encountered before.

It wasn’t until I took a stroll to the other end of Notre-Dame that I really began to appreciate its entirety. Beauty, it exuded pure beauty. Not only from the outside, but also from the interior architecture and decoration, as well as the views from the near top. Breathtaking, indeed.

Notre-Dame (May 18, 2013)

-       I was particularly intrigued with the tourists in the area - and how they were posing for pictures. They stood on the concrete blocks in-front of the Notre-Dame, twisting their hips, shuffling their feet, pouting their lips, and adding the last touches to what they thought would be the perfect photograph of themselves in that moment of time.

It’s interesting to capture the moment where someone is posing, but they don’t know you are there, maybe their nerves are less prominent, maybe just as present in front of the camera closer to them. Whatever may be true, this method of capturing people in a space sparks an interest in me...Why are they here? What brought them here today - are they the same reasons? What makes this building so important to them individually they come so far away to see it, and then pose for it?

To digress from day one, we concluded the evening all together with a dinner at Bouillon Chartier. When we left the restaurant, you could tell the loyalty the restaurant goers had for the place. I see this fitting for how wonderful the food was,  and the pleasant service as well. The line looked as though it could have been at least a two-hour wait. 

Bouillon Chartier 

Day 2: Versailles Visit 

Versailles - It exudes extravagance to the ultimate degree. From the gardens to the architecture, the decorations, and the massive scale of most objects that inhabit the landscape of versailles, the palace couldn't be anything but indulgent. 

Day 3: Louvre Visit

The visit to the Louvre was highly inspirational. I felt the interior architecture of the space (Especially the entry, and Islamic Arts space) and exterior moving me emotionally in ways I have yet experience before. I was nearly overwhelmed to tears – of joy of course, by the elegance of the Louvre. Awestruck in these very moments, this moment of elation was barely conceivable to me, however, the dialoge thus being created in my head, I wanted to stay forever.

The day before Paris, France: A belated dialogue - Lauren West

Hello all... Apologies on the belated post, however, the three divides encompass everything I wanted to articulate to you all. The three parts, in essence describes what the travel, and flight and my feelings were like during the duration of my trip to Paris, France. Thank you for taking the time to partake in the dialogue I am about to engage with you in. - Sincerely, Lauren Rebecca West. - IAD student of the Milwaukee Institute of Design. 
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Up until now, I have only traveled a few places in the states. 

Panic – Anxiety. Each minute dreadfully slowed, as my hands just shook, managing to beat the clock to get ready on time. I sat there, just staring at the two suitcases lying in front of me, static. In contrast my eyes, darting around the room for the time. I fumbled around with my clothing, desperately making iterations of re-packing, over and over again. I couldn’t grasp what seemed most important to me, what I could bear to potentially never see again. The strike in affect in Brussels, Belgium had me questioning if what my carry-on would hold would be enough, how much would I be out, and more importantly? How would this be affecting my time in France? I had many ideations of the trip formulated in my head. My goodness, I already started to create my own dialogues of what I proposed the context would be like upon my arrival. I imagined NOTHING could go wrong. My romanticized thoughts of the endeavor were horrifically wrong.

To my luck later in the day, on the way to O’Hare, good news arose in the appropriate duration of time. The strike was over. My heart beat slowed from the exceedingly rapid pace it was at before. I could breathe. I could take a second, hold onto it and smile. This day was looking better. It indeed got much better. Check in went smoothly, the flight is 1/3 through to Brussels, Belgium, then we (I state we because I am traveling with Andrea) – have a layover, and then to CDG.

Currently:

1566 miles traveled, currently 32,999 ft altitude at 8:49pm in the states. Time to destination approx. 5 hrs.

**35,004 ft altitude: 9:03pm – 4:53 minutes to landing.  I gauge looking at the map on my screen we are roughly 1/3 through the flight.

I’m thrilled by the notion that I will be thrown outside of my comfort zone. To be landing in a country, that I can not articulate much more than that of the average toddler – actually excites me. It creates this opportunity to analyze how I will behave outside of a dialogue I am accustomed to. The context of my surroundings, has completely changed, and now I must adapt. I accept this endeavor.

Until then, I bid you all farewell. As I am off to slumber. I am going to need this rest if I am going to survive the duration of today, and beat the infamous “jet-lag”.

- Lauren W.

_______________________

A sense of surreal-ness encompassed all of my thoughts in the last few days. Seeing as though this is going to be my first international flight, I couldn’t seem to grasp I would be in the air for over eight hours, landing in another destination, France.

I’ve always seemed to be a spectator to that other life you read about it in the textbooks. We have Google search and the countless photos on their search engine. Even you using their program google earth, allows you to discover what their city looks like on the streets. The connection allows you to effortlessy see the circulation of the natives, without ever touching foot on their grounds.

I’ve learned a lot today about travel, especially from others. I almost want to write the class who goes on this trip next a packing list. Hearing about the Brussels Airline strike made me nervous.  Just when I thought I had packed the right amountof, well everything to be so far away from home...I didn’t want to accept the idea, all of that could be delayed, lost or just entirely gone, so far from home. Panic, anxiety just struck my entire body. However, to that day – it was announced that the strike had ended, we were in luck.

The rest of the day ran smoothly. I was in peace with myself all day. Just so thankful to be in the position I am. It crossed my mind many times today that I would like to ask more people what brings them where they are, or why they are traveling to this destination (our first being Brussels, Belgium)...what led them here today. What led me here today? In a place, at 33, 006 feet in the air above the east coast (currently), We have 5 hours until we land in Belgium, I would like to be able to sleep. It’s currently 8:35pm in the states, but as we cross time zones, that will change by a 7 hour difference.

Andrea and I were lucky to be able to get seat by eachother, I believe that lessens the anxiety of travel when you get to converse, and share the experience with someone. Especially it lessens the awkwardness of sharing a seat with a complete stranger in such close quarters.

Packing: Even though we will be in France for 16 days, I believe it is necessary to pack, and re-pack multiple times, I learned the value of only having one bag, and carrying the essentials. I failed to do so this time around. I believe my anxieties of “what if I need this, or something happens”, dominated my thoughts. Yes it’s good to take precautions, but you must understand you are going to a city – where you can readily find the products you may need. The next time I ever choose to travel, I will know better, and won’t be lugging around as much as I had this time. It wasn’t necessarily bad, but It happened to be a little excess. I’m especially interested to see what I do not use this trip, and use further analyze what truly is necessary for an abroad trip such as this.

 _____________________

You really learn a lot of yourself traveling, somewhat alone. I understand in myself a drastic change. From someone who used to be shy, shut down, and nearly just afraid of people for the sake of being nervous around them...I came to realize, I can lead, take charge, and feel comfortable outside of what I know. I like the energy of new people, I enjoy what I don’t know, because expanding my knowledge on anything, matters to me. I must say, I was pretty envious of the first class travelers, those are wonderful cabin spaces. The quarters in the back (economy) are bearable, but definitely confined for my liking of being close to people.

__________________________________________

That was the extent of the travel to Paris, France. However, when we did arrive in Paris, we found out our luggage was indeed lost. That was a terrifying experience, luckily enough, we put down the address of the hostel we are staying at - and the luggage we packed arrived about a day later; Much earlier than I expected. We were so thankful, and from then on all anxieties left my body. I was confident this trip, would be all I hoped for and more.